The workings of Foxface
by 123PixieAOD
Summary: Foxface was always overlooked. Even her death was overshadowed by the 'Star-Crossed Lovers'. But what was really going on with that sly, red haired girl. Was she actually that naive to eat those berries? And was the Hunger Games the only thing she had to deal with; or was something much more sinister at work? And was she its aim? This is Foxface's Hunger Games. Finch's story.
1. Chapter 1 The Reaping

Finch made her way up to the stage, her mind numb. No. It was impossible. Only four slips with her name on were in that bowl. Four! Out of thousands! It was such a small percentage that Finch hadn't even bothered calculating the chance. The odds were totally in her favour.

And yet the odds hadn't mattered.

She felt a hushed gasp spread over the crowd as she stood next to Emotia Ribbonfeather. It seemed that even they were surprised. Finch was just about the most privilege girl in district 5. She had never needed to take tessera. Never needed to even think about it.

"Ooh look at this cutie. I could just swallow you up!" Emotia leaned over and squeezed Finch's cheek. Her electric pink nails scratched Finch, and the smell of hairspray was so thick around her, it felt like a wall. Finch felt her head spinning, but knew she simply could not faint here. Not here. Not now.

"Any volunteers?" Emotia looked out on the crowd expectedly. Finch didn't even let herself hope. The noose was already around her neck.

Silence. Only the crows above them dared make a noise.

"Okay, onto the gentlemen now!" Emotia grinned at Finch, before flouncing away. A fresh breeze blew in Finch's face, and she breathed in the clean air, trying to clear her head. She nearly looked for her brother, or glanced over at her father, but knew it would be too painful. She refused to cry now, in front of everyone. She glanced up at the cameras positioned on top of buildings. _Let them look; they'll be getting nothing out of me. _Finch thought.

Suddenly she was terrified. Every cell in her body felt like it would collapse if she didn't do anything, anything at all.

_1, 2, 4,8,16… _It was an old habit her father had taught her when she was very young. "And the boy is…" _32, 64, 128, 256…_

_ "_Silec Atom!"

Finch had had a private education and knew nobody her age. The only boy she liked was her brother, but he was nineteen so he was safe. Even so, Finch felt herself relax as she watched a boy walk towards the stage. Old habits die hard.

The boy had black hair and was tall and thin. He looked well fed and around her age but didn't seem to be that strong, and looked like he could be clumsy and slow.

Finch felt sick as she realised she was looking for prey.

Silec walked to Emotia, and stood next to her, looking unmoving at the sky when she asked for volunteers. The crowd responded the same way as they had done to Finch.

"Shake hands now!" Emotia grinned manically at both of them.

Silec jutted his hand out, and Finch took his gingerly. He shook hard and dropped her hand as quickly as possible.

The national anthem blew out and Finch stared at the sky, one hand at her throat. She was unsure if she should still do it, but it was better to be safe than sorry, especially with the Capitol. It was custom for the officials and their families to do this. Finch wondered if her brother would still be doing it as she fought for her life.

She glanced over at Silec, who had his arms firmly crossed. He glowed at her and Finch quickly looked away.

The anthem was over in minutes and Finch let the guards lead her away, into the Justice building. She knew what was next, and knew it would be as painful as the death she would no doubt get.


	2. Chapter 2 The Goodbyes

First had been Finch's old tutor. He had stood in the middle of the luxurious room; a frail, stooping man, and yet he seemed to become more animated than Finch had ever seen him. He ranted to her about tactics and her clever she was and how she was well able to win the games. When he was asked to leave, he sniffed and began to pat his eyes with a tissue. Finch was unsure what to do, but he only glanced at her and quickly left.

Then was Finch's parents. Her father had looked at her with guilt-ridden eyes as her mother had cried in Finch's arms. It was strange, to be patting her mother's head, as the woman had never showed much interest in Finch, and less affection. Finch had certainly never cried on her mother's lap. While her mother seemed to be trying to create her own river, Finch's father just stood back, not talking but watching Finch, as if trying to preserve her right there. _Tough luck dad_,_ I'm as dead as last District 5 tribute, and probably the next too, _Finch thought darkly.

The guards left her parents with her for as long as they wanted, but after ten minutes Finch had to ask them to leave. She felt herself collapsing inside, and she needed to stay strong, at least until she was on the train. Away from the prying cameras.

Her mother had kissed both of Finch's cheeks and hurried out. Her father hugged her and told her she was strong and clever and they'd be proud no matter what. He even finished with how he was looking forward to seeing her as a Victor. Finch didn't have to see him, only listen to the tone of his voice to know he didn't believe himself.

"We're proud of you, and… I'm sorry." He turned and walked around, closing the door gently behind him. Finch grabbed the pillow next to her, and hugged it, trying not to cry. Although she had never been particularly close to her parents, there was something final about saying goodbye to them.

The door creaked open. Finch looked and jumped up, and ran over to her brother.

"Hey come on Finchy." He muttered into her hair as she hugged him. He led her to the couch, and she automatically sat down. Finch felt tears coming and knew she wouldn't make it to the train as she hugged him.

"Do not cry!" He said sternly as he pulled her away from him and looked at her. "Okay? You don't want them to pick you as a target."

"But I'm already one!" She hissed coldly at him. Even Finch was surprised by how much she believed it.

"No, you're not. You are _mysterious_. You won't show off at training but score in the middle. You'll be quiet enough, but smart in your interview. Nobody will know who _exactly_ the real Finch is. You could be a blood-thirsty murderer for all they know. But you're on the small side so the other tributes will leave you be. You'll use your head to survive, and then when they remember you're still there it'll be down to the last five. You'll leave them do the fighting and carry on living until you're in the final two or three; then you poison them in their sleep. You win and come back to me. It won't be easy, but it'll work." He spoke slowly, and Finch felt her tears dry up as a mixture of awe and hope seeped in.

"How did you—"

"You think I haven't thought about you being reaped?" He still gripped her shoulders and bent his back, so that he was at her eye-level.

"Listen, these capitol—"He glanced behind him, and kicked the door shut. "_Pigs_ are going to get what's coming to them-"

Finch gasped. It was ludicrous to be speaking like that. He could easily be shot.

"And all we have to do is survive the next couple of years. When you win, we'll live at the mansion, but as soon as the rebellion spreads to here, we'll move to district twelve, where most of the action will happen." He stared at her, watching her reaction.

"They'll kill you if you talk like that!" She hissed at him.

He stood up, but Finch grabbed his arm sleeve. "Don't do anything stupid, please." She begged him. "Promise me you'll be careful!"

Someone shouted thirty seconds from outside.

Her brother smiled and kneeled in front of her. "I think I should be telling that to you." He tried to joke, but his eyes were watering. He blinked and reached inside his pocket.

"Oh before I forget. It's in here somewhere." He began rummaging around in his pocket, looking more and more frightened before a look of relief swept across his face and he took something out.

"I thought I had forgotten it! Anyway I want you to have this. As your token, okay?" He dropped something into Finch's lap.

It was a necklace. It was made from thin twine, and a tiny glass box hung from it. Her brother always wore it, from as long as Finch could remember he had had it around his neck.

The thing that was so special about it was what was inside the glass. A tiny purple flower was dried and stood in the box in its pride of place. District 5 was solid concrete, or so it seemed. The only thing that Finch had ever seen grow was nettles and other weeds. Flowers were virtually extinct in District 5. The flower necklace was, as a result, incredibly valuable.

Finch began to shake her head. No, no she simply couldn't take it. But her brother fiercely closed her fingers around it. Before she could say anything he gripped her and hugged her. It was so tight it hurt, but Finch hugged him back. This could be the last time she smelled his old socks smell, the last time she felt his t-shirt scratch against her chin.

The peace-keepers knocked on the door, indicating time was up.

"Promise me you'll listen to your head, okay?" He stood up and looked down at Finch.

Finch paused before nodding. "I promise."

He nodded, and ruffled her hair like he had done when she was younger, before striding out, glaring at the guards on his way out.

It was only when Finch was alone that she realised that while she had promised to be careful; he had not promised her anything.


	3. Chapter 3 The Train

The train smelled of flowers. Finch sniffed her pillow. Yes that was defiantly flowers. Even though flora was non-existing in District 5, it was the dream of every woman to wear flower perfume. When Finch was around five, she had snuck into her parent's room and tried out some of her mother's perfume. It was a called 'Deep Rose' and it was enchanting. Finch loved it and tried it on virtually every day when her mother was out, until one day she dropped the bottle. Her mother had arrived back to Finch's blood staining the carpet as she tried to pick up the glass. She had gotten so angry at Finch, Finch honestly thought she'd hit her. Her brother had come back too and distracted their mother just in time.

Just thinking about her family, her brother especially, brought tears into Finch's eyes. She was never quite sure how she should felt about her parents, always had mixed feelings about them; but her brother was her best friend, always had been. They had been united by loneliness, partly due to their parents and partly because of their private education, never meeting anyone their age.

Finch needed to distract herself. She threw the pillow quickly back onto her bed and ran into the dining carriage. Hopefully that would take her mind off things.

She still had to meet the Mentors. There were five in total from District 5, although only two were still living. From what she heard though, the two alive might as well be dead.

Silec was sitting at the table, chomping on a roll with a layer of butter thicker than Finch's index finger.

He glanced up, glared at Finch, and resumed to fit as much bread into his mouth as possible.

"Ahhh Finch darling! Eat up; you must be starving!" Emotia shrieked through a mouthful of some sort of meat.

Finch slid into a chair and picked up a fruit. They didn't have much fruit in District 5 either. She had only had five apples in her life.

What she had picked up was soft and pinkish. A _peach_. Finch tentatively took a bite. Flavours exploded on her lips as soon as her teeth pierced the skin. Sweetness mixed with texture. Juice ran down her chin but Finch didn't care; it was the most amazing thing she had ever tasted.

Finch caught Silec's eye, but before she could look away, two figures stumbled into the carriage. For a second Finch was unable to figure out which one was male or female. They both had a buzz haircut, and their clothes hung off their thin frames.

The taller one slumped into the seat next to Silec, and the slightly smaller one slid into the chair next to Finch.

With shock Finch realised these must be her Mentors.

"Honestly Dina and Qwad! Try not to—Eww!" Emotia finished with a shriek as the one next to Silec, _Qwad_, threw up, only just missing Emotia's sparkly dress.

An avox ran forward with a paper-towel. The girl knelt down and began to mop up. Qwad elbowed her, and suddenly kicked her, screaming.

Everyone at the table jumped up. The woman next to Finch, Dina, began to weep hysterically. While Finch stumbled backwards, Silec jumped up and wrestled Qwad down. The avox scrambled away. Her face was bloody.

Silec tightened his grip on Qwad and dragged him through the door. Finch was sure she had heard Qwad sobbing.

Emotia was screaming at the other avox's to clean up this mess, and the bloody avox was being helped up.

Finch glanced at Dina, but she had just scurried out of the opposite door. Emotia had gone too, probably to change dresses. Finch was the only one left in the carriage.

She sank to the ground, and stared at the table leg. She felt sick. Even if she had a chance of winning, did she really want to? Look what had happened to Dina after winning.

But then Finch remembered her brother, and made herself get up and walk away to her compartment.

She needed her sleep, they'd be in the Capitol in less than six hours, and Finch had a feeling she wouldn't be getting much sleep after the train trip.


	4. Chapter 4 The Threat

**Hi guys! I'm _so sorry_ I haven't been on for a little while (more like a year). I've just been through a fairly hectic exam year, and didn't really have much time to update Finch. But I do now! Thanks for being so patient with me :)**

**-Pixie**

Finch woke up gasping. Her mind felt foggy, as if on the cusp of a nightmare. She rolled out of bed, desperately trying to swallow air.

_I've been poisoned!_ Finch frantically reached for her bedside light, before remembering she was on the train. A thin line of sunlight hit her from the closed blinds, but Finch was too weak and too low on the ground to open them.

Finch felt like she was drowning in air. She clawed at her throat like a mad woman, her lungs feeling like they would explode.

_Think!_

Finch collapsed onto the floor, wheezing on the carpet.

Something red dangled out of the corner of her eye, as Finch felt her mind shutting down.

It looked like a button.

_Am I really dying?_

Why was there a red button hanging off her bed?

_I thought I would last longer than this._

It looked like the switch she had seen on her Grandmother's bed.

_Farewell life._

It looked like a… emergency button?

Using strength Finch didn't know she had, she leaned forward and reached for the button. Her fingers brushed it, before she managed to press it.

Finch let herself fall, and was vaguely aware of footsteps. Her throat felt like it was completely closed, and Finch could no longer even attempt to breathe.

Someone grabbed her, and shouted. More footsteps. More shouting.

Then something was thrusted into her mouth, and gas was sprayed onto her tongue.

Then everything went black.

_Am I really dead?_

**Hope ye liked it; sorry it's so short. I'll hopefully have the next (longer) chapter up soon!**


	5. Chapter 5 The Arrival

Finch woke up with a jerk. Her throat burnt like she's inhaled fire.

Someone coughed to her left, making Finch start.

"Oh sorry deary, didn't mean to frighten you. Are you feeling back in tip top health yet?"

Finch stared at the pink haired manic.

"Di-did you manage to catch the person who poisoned me?" Finch croaked. Her throat really did feel like sandpaper.

"Poisoned?" Emotia giggled. "Oh no my dear, you weren't poisoned. Nothing of the sort."

"Wh-what?" Of course she had been poisoned. What else could _have_ happened? Emotia was getting her facts mixed up, as usual.

"Hmm… what was the word Silec used? It was a… a…" Emotia twirled her fingers in the air. "An asthma attack. Yes that was it." Emotia leaned back, obviously proud of herself.

The word rang a distant bell in Finch's mind. It affected the throat opening. But nobody Finch knew had ever suffered from it. It was an old man disease. Not a Finch one.

Finch opened her mouth, prepared to contradict Emotia when another thought popped into her head.

"How long was I out for?"

"Oh… around five hours. We arrived in the Capitol no less than an hour ago!"

Finch actually felt her mouth dropped open. So everyone would know that Finch had some sort of attack. Despair rolled over Finch. Farewell any potential sponsors.

As if sensing Finch's fear, Emotia leaned forward conspiringly. "I told everyone that you were locked in your room for all this time. Nobody knows about your little attack of affma -"

"Asthma." Finch corrected her.

"Yes whatever it's called." Emotia waved her arm impatiently.

Emotia then caught sight of her neon pink watch.

"Oh gracious! I'll leave you to get ready Finch. Do be quick." And with that the woman hurried out of the room.

Finch had crept into the dining cart within five minutes of Emotia leaving her. There was an awkward moment when everyone had stared at her, Silec glaring a usual, before Emotia had rushed them out of the train and into the glare of the Capitol.

Camera lights had blinded Finch at first. Huge screens advertising products loomed above them as the press shouted for their attention. Everything was beginning to go by in a blur. Finch kept her eyes to the ground, ignoring everything else. That was until her breaths began to come out in gasps.

_Not again. Not now!_

Finch tried to act like she was breathing normally, all the while struggling to get a breath in.

Suddenly Finch was under cover, away from the flashing lights. They were in the Training Centre already. It was empty bar a couple of Avoxes, as everyone else had arrived hours ago.

As the adults walked to the elevator, Finch leaned against the wall, hands on knees, trying to ease her breathing.

"Here. Take it." Silec was holding a little object in Finch's face. It made an 'L' shape and was a dull grey.

"It's an inhaler." Silec explained when Finch didn't grab it. "Put it in your mouth and press down the top. It helps."

Finch glanced at up Silec. It could be poison. Silec had shown nothing but distain, even hatred, towards Finch, and now he was suddenly offering Finch help. Talk about suspicious behaviour.

But Finch was desperate, her lungs burning again. Begrudgingly but frantically Finch did what Silec instructed, and was amazed when she felt the air coming more easily.

"Thanks." Finch handed the object –an inhaler- back to Silec.

Silec eyed it for a second. "No keep it. I've grown out of asthma attacks." Finch began to smile at him until she suddenly understood what game Silec was playing. He wasn't being kind or helpful. He was just proving to them both that Finch had a weakness that Silec did not. And that Silec knew what it was. And now Finch owed Silec.

They held each other's gaze for a few moments, before Emotia came rushing over. "Oh dearys, come along now. Time for pretty people to make you pretty!"

Finch sighed inwardly. The day could only get better, right?

**Hia, hope ye liked it :) This is dedicated to each person who has to carry one of those inhalers every_ single _place_._ Pretty frustrating, I know :l**


	6. Chapter 6 The Ride

Finch wasn't wrong about a lot of things. But she was horribly mistaken about that. The day undeniably went from ghastly to rock-bottom in that immaculate building. Finch was pulled, plucked, pruned and polished until she felt raw. People, Finch couldn't tell what gender, rushed around her babbling.

And then she was introduced to her stylist.

And that was when the day definitely hit rock-bottom.

The man, who was probably around 70 years old, had bleached blond hair and a glow-in-the-dark row of teeth. But what was most horrifying was the tint of pink in his skin. Oh, and his name. Crimson.

"So what do you think _da-a-a-arling_?" The odd capitol accent clipped his consonants away. "You like?"

Finch looked at herself in the mirror. Her normal slender frame was hidden behind a curtain of silver material, adorned with sparkling sequins.

_No_ was what she wanted to say. _No, _and_ Please don't call me darling._ But Finch remembered what had happened earlier. Whenever she showed feelings, she was weakened. She had already blundered with Silec. But not again. She had learnt her lesson. Emotions don't reveal weakness, Emotions _are_ weakness.

"I don't care what I'm wearing. Beautiful clothes enhance nothing but vanity." She heard herself say, voice devoid of feeling. Now that was better.

She could tell Crimson was torn. On the one hand, she had dismissed his work and job; on the other, she had hinted she thought the dress to be pretty. As if.

Crimson pursed his lips. "Now for the crown." He said, speaking slightly less enthusiastically than before.

He brought out a silver oval, with a space in the middle. It looked like an abstract frame.

There was a lullaby, in District 5, about a woman who was about to get married. She wore a dress woven of reeds and a tiara of frosty leaves. However she had tried to run away from the ceremony, and had been banished to an under-ground cave as the people prepared for it again. But when they came for her the next morning, she had vanished, leaving only the tiara of melting leaves.

Inexplicably, this fable popped into Finch's mind as the head-wear was placed around her face. Maybe it was the colour of the thing. Maybe it was the helplessness of both situations.

"There. Don't you look a treat!" Crimson said, and Finch wondered if he as referring to the wrapped in foil type.

Finch imagined Silec dressed identically. Large, masculine Silec all glittery. A wisp of a smile appeared on her lips. It vanished quickly enough, but not before Crimson caught it, and grinned happily to himself.

Finch stared at the two black horses. They seemed like statues, frozen in that moment. She hesitantly reached out. Her fingers brushed the cold nose of the one nearest. She could feel its breath, breathing cool air onto her clammy hands.

Someone jogged Finch as they rushed past, breaking the spell. The horse turned its head and Finch dropped her hand.

She looked around, her eyes taking in the other competitors. While every pair looked ridiculous, Finch and Silec were pretty high up on that scale. The only normal looking couple were the two in the very back, wearing just a black jump-suit. Even the girl's headband was black. Finch tilted her head as she inspected them. Something was odd about them. Definitely odd.

The boy turned and met Finch's eyes. She quickly looked away, but not before he had attempted to smile at her. What an idiot.

"Come on, up you go!" Crimson shrieked, his eagerness having returned in force.

Finch was pushed up by him onto the chariot, nearly losing her balance. Silec calmly stepped up next to her. He looked as strange and uncomfortable as she had imagined him to be; only this time it was less humorous. He was biting his lip, until he noticed Finch looking at him. As the massive doors ahead begin to split open, Silec turned to her. "Got your breathalyzer ready?"

Finch forced herself to smile. "Only if you do too."

The chariot jolted forward as the District 1 started. Finch could just make out the cacophony of noises and colour ahead as she gripped the handle-bar tightly, her knuckles beginning to whiten.

The opening got bigger and closer, until it was their turn. Cheers and colours and sweet smells assaulted Finch's senses as they passed through the gateway. She kept her eyes focused on the bobbing blonde head of the District 6 girl in front.

Suddenly the screens that ran along were set ablaze. It was so bright, Finch reflectively twisted and started at it.

The pixelated face showed fire. Pure fire. It zoomed out, and revealed a nest of flames on that District 12 girl. At first, panic consumed Finch as she assumed it was real fire. But watching the grinning glowing girl, and hearing the shouts of adoration from the crowd, Finch released it was a trick. An ingenious trick.

Finch looked onto the next screen. It had switched to the boy winking at the crowd, his sandy hair in shadows and flames. Perhaps he wasn't such an idiot after all.

Finch allowed her lips to curl at the edges. She thought of his innocent smile earlier. No, he most certainly was no idiot.


End file.
